Yes and No groups selected for referendum on electoral reform in B.C.

Groups that officially represent the Yes and No sides on electoral reform in British Columbia have been selected before a referendum this fall.

Elections BC says Vote PR BC will be the proponent group while opposition to changing the current system will be spearheaded by the No BC Proportional Representation Society.

Each group will get $500,000 in funding to support or oppose proportional representation voting systems as part of their public information campaigns and both will have a spending limit of $700,000.

Elections BC says only two applications were received by the July 6 deadline.

The NDP has proposed three proportional representation models to replace the first-past-the-post system, on which referendums in B.C. have twice been held — in 2005 and 2009.

Vote PR BC says proportional representation is a more democratic system because parties with a low percentage of votes wouldn’t get all the power while the No BC Proportional Representation Society maintains that system is complicated and confusing.